Tech Disruptors Ciena Expands Optics for AI Data-Center Demand
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Jan 27, 2026 Scott McFeely, Executive Advisor at Ciena with ~40 years in optical networking, traces Ciena’s shift into cloud and AI data-center optics. He discusses WaveLogic DSPs, coherent optics and pluggables. He explains AI-driven demand inside data centers, Nubis acquisition moves, and how optics must adapt for GPU clusters and distributed training.
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DSPs Are The Heart Of Modern Coherent Optics
- WaveLogic DSPs convert analog optics into digital domain enabling advanced pre/post conditioning and higher rates.
- DSP progress demands cutting-edge process nodes and drives high barriers to entry.
AI Shifted Optical Demand To Continuous, Massive Flows
- AI first drove optical demand via continuous data ingestion for training on backbone and metro networks.
- In 2025 distributed learning created bespoke, very high-capacity networks between data centers.
Distributed Training Makes the WAN the Compute Backplane
- Distributed GPU clusters force capacity across multiple data centers due to power and space limits.
- That creates petabit-scale optical needs with strict latency and resilience requirements.